Digital Spy
HomepageDigital Spy's Reviews
Paper Mario Colour Splash might not be the Paper Mario game everyone wanted, but it's a game that oozes polish and manages to sit somewhere in a niche between RPG and adventure game. It's a memorable journey full of charm, craft, chuckles and a whole lot of paint.
F1 2016 gives you even better racing than last year's version, then makes it the centre of a brilliant career mode. The handling, AI and sense of speed have never been better, while the changes to starting and the new practice goals have a major impact on the race weekend. This is an F1 game for F1 fans, but exciting enough to pull in those who'd never normally sit through qualifying. You can't really ask for more than that.
Whether you're coming back to Phoenix Wright once more or are coming at it afresh, you'll have no objections to Spirit of Justice.
The realism has really been ramped up this year, making every pass, tackle and goal attempt feel accurate and worthwhile. The goalkeepers and graphics have vastly improved too, even if the more realistic referees might frustrate you at first – just as they do in the real game.
The best thing you'll play on PS VR at launch
Super Mario 3D World on the Nintendo Switch is the definitive version of an already stellar game. More than seven years after the original release, Mario's Wii U adventure hasn't aged a bit – oozing creativity and providing platforming thrills at nearly every turn. Bowser's Fury is a nice little companion, and although not quite as consistent, it combines with 3D World to form an outstanding package.
True Colors makes an extremely strong case for the best Life Is Strange game yet, with an affecting story that tackles themes such as loss and belonging and featuring the series' most likeable protagonist to date in Alex Chen. The town of Haven Springs is also a standout, and by the end of the game, I was sad that I had to say goodbye to the cast of characters. Hopefully this isn't the last time we see Alex.
Disturbing, thrilling, and absorbing at the same time, Paranormasight: The Seven Mysteries of Honjo is much more than your average horror game. Square Enix has delivered a fantastic tale that deserves to be getting more attention than it currently has.
It manages to avoid open-world fatigue and separates itself from other titles in the genre by just being so fun to control, with intuitive movement combos that evolve as you play to keep the gameplay fresh. If you're a Star Wars fan, this might be the closest you come to feeling like a Jedi, and even if you're not, you might just be playing one of the best action-adventure games in recent years.
Diablo IV is the culmination of everything Blizzard has set up before to make one ultimate experience. The world is stunning, drowned in a beautiful soundtrack that makes even the smallest moments feel epic. With a deep character system, satisfying combat and an endgame that feels like only the start of your adventure, it's hard not to recommend.
Oxenfree II: Lost Signals is as unique as its predecessor and once again shows that Night School Studio is onto something with their 'walk and talk' mechanic. We can't wait to go back and dive in once more, and can't recommend the game enough.
With a deep character-building system and endless possibilities offered thanks to its procedurally generated levels, Remnant 2 is an absolute must-experience — and one we think we'll be world-hopping in for a long, long time.
Despite its late-game flaws, Baldur's Gate 3 is truly special.
Fortuna's journey undoubtedly ranks as one of my highlights of the year, and shouldn't be overlooked.
Lies of P is an addictive Soulslike with a unique take on the genre and is certainly one not to be missed (especially if you have Game Pass).
Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth is another rich entry in this long-running series, which clearly still has more to offer before it runs out of steam.
With some unexpected twists and turns along the way, plus some confident changes, Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth is utterly massive and really is the ultimate way to experience this much-loved story. It's a must for PS5 players.
Crow Country is one of the best experiences of the year so far, and we think it will be talked about in the same tones as last year's Signalis for its sheer creativity and efforts to reignite passion for the survival-horror genre.
Project Cars is a game that requires practice, patience and a whole lot of skill. It's not the easiest game to pick up and play, but it's definitely one of the most rewarding when you put in the time and finally nab yourself a podium finish.
Mortal Kombat X is as violent, outrageous and over-the-top as its predecessors, but somewhere hidden behind the brilliant new Fatalities and wince-worthy X-Ray moves is a fighting game with actual depth. It's a giddy, content-heavy brawler that tips its hat to the past, but also lays the foundations for future releases. Judging by the amount of fun we've had playing over launch, its future is looking very bright indeed.